The Supreme Court and Civil Rights

Poll

How long do Supreme Court justices serve?

• 2 years

• 3 years

• 4 years

• life

The Supreme Court and Civil Rights

Objectives

US.20A: Analyze the effects of landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Hernandez v. Texas, Tinker v. Des Moines, and Wisconsin v. Yoder.

US.9J: Describe how Sweatt v. Painter and Brown v. Board of Education played a role in protecting the rights of the minority during the civil rights movement. 

The Supreme Court

• Litigation-the process of taking legal action 

• Supreme Court-the highest court in the US consisting of 8 justices and 1 chief justice

• President nominates (selects) the candidate

• Senate appoints (approves) the new justice

Multiple Choice

How many justices sit on the Supreme Court?

• 11
• 9
• 7
• 13

Dropdown

Of the nine justices, there is _____ chief justice.

Select answer

Drag and Drop

The ​

Placeholder

nominates candidates for Supreme Court vacancies, and the ​

Placeholder

approves the new justice.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

president

Senate

House of Representatives, Governor

Chief Justice, Congress

Vice President, Judiciary Committee

Supreme Court Powers

• Judicial review-the right of the courts to declare a law constitutional or unconstitutional 

• Constitutional-allowed by the US Constitution

• Unconstitutional-prohibited by the US Constitution

• Example: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Match

Match the following

• constitutional

• judicial review

• unconstitutional

• litigation

in accordance with the constitution

the power of courts to assess the constitutionality of laws

not in accordance with the constitution

the process of taking legal action

• in accordance with the constitution

• the power of courts to assess the constitutionality of laws

• not in accordance with the constitution

• the process of taking legal action

Supreme Court Importance

Why does this matter?

• Supreme Court justices are nominated for life.

• They are appointed not elected.

• They make decisions that affect generations of Americans.

• Supreme Court decisions can give, take, expand, or limit rights.

Open Ended

What is one power of the Supreme Court?

Stem: The Supreme Court can _____.